It's August 17, 2006, and 200 premieres in the U.S. tomorrow night. Everyone seems to be worried that we'll be hugely disappointed with the result, so I wanted to give you a sure bet. Here's a story that's guaranteed to end the way you want!

WARNING: Extreme sugar alert! Syrup, sugar, sucrose--you name it--it's here. Just sayin.'

Part 3

Sam stirred. Through her closed eyes, she sensed daylight, as she began to awaken. Suddenly, the events of the night before came rushing back to her. She reached out for Jack and found…nothing. Trying to bring herself to full awareness, she opened her eyes and almost jumped when she saw him, fully dressed, sitting on the edge of the bed watching her, a grin across his face.. "Sir!" she exclaimed.

He cocked his head to one side. "Sir? Carter, that's so…yesterday," he deadpanned. "I thought we had dispensed with the 'sir.'"

"I—I mean, Jack, sir," she stammered. "Jack," she said more definitively, as she sat up and realized she was naked. Instinctively, she pulled the sheet up and over her chest as Jack sat watching, still grinning. "And you agreed to Sam."

"Yes, I remember," he said. "It's you who seem to be having a problem with the new rules. And it's a little late for modesty, don't you think—Sam?" Now he was leering, teasing her.

She blushed. Holding the sheet with one hand, she ran the other through her hair and tried to get her bearings. What was the problem? This was her bedroom, after all. She glanced at Jack again, and he was still grinning. A look of irritation crossed her face.

"Ah-ah-ha, Sam," he said. "You shouldn't get angry on your wedding day. We are getting married today, aren't we?"

"Geez, let a girl wake up! You are the most insufferable man!"

"And that's why you love me, right?"

Her face softened, and she chuckled softly. "I suppose you're right."

At that, he leaned in for a kiss. "Good. Now, I'm going to leave you to your--modesty," he said, standing up and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"There's a wedding today. I have – errands to run. I made coffee, and there's juice in the fridge. Not much in the way of food, though, so I ran to the store and picked up some Danish. You can pop it in the microwave."

"You're full of energy today. How long have you been up?"

"Well, it's about nine now. I watched you sleep for about an hour. Then, I went looking for chow. Since you only had cold pizza, I got dressed and you know the rest. Yada, yada, yada…"

"You watched me sleep for an HOUR?" She was grinning now.

"So? You're gorgeous when you're asleep." He looked momentarily awkward, as if he didn't know what to say next. "Ok if I take your car?" She nodded. "I thought it would be. You have exactly an hour and a half to get ready before we head to Vegas."

"An hour and a half? But what do I pack?"

"I don't know…..something for a wedding, I guess. You're a woman. You'll figure it out." He winked at her and left.

Sam, as bemused and befuddled as she had ever felt, sat in the middle of the bed clutching the sheet, trying to figure out what to do next.

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Sam had just finished packing when she heard the front door open. "Honey, I'm home!" he called out. She laughed, but felt a rush of anticipation as she heard his footsteps coming down the hall.

"Is this really happening?" she asked, as he entered the room.

"It is," he grinned, taking her in his arms. "You ready?"

"Right after this." She twirled her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. Hmmm…this was becoming addictive. Forcing herself to pull away from him, she said, "All right. How are we getting there?"

He picked up her bag and made a swoosh toward the door with his arm. "All the arrangements are made," he said mysteriously. "For once, let me do the thinking."

"Works for me," she grinned, and headed through the door.

Jack had been busy that morning. He had borrowed a private plane from a friend at the academy, so he could fly himself and Sam the 600 miles to Vegas. Once there, he had made reservations at a five-star hotel…and had arranged for a justice of the peace to marry them at dusk in the hotel's rooftop restaurant. He had rented the place for a private party, so it would be closed to everyone else. It had cost him a pretty penny, but he thought it was worth it. He and Sam had waited years for this day, and neither had dared to believe it would ever happen. Besides that, he loved her more than life itself, and he wanted this night to be perfect. After they were married, they'd have a champagne dinner and watch the stars come out and then…well, then, Jack figured, they'd be seeing stars for sure. That only left one item unresolved…the rings…and well, he had a plan for that.

"Cat got your tongue?" Sam asked.

"Hmmm?"

"You were talkative when I was trying to wake up this morning," she replied. "Now, you've clammed up. What gives?"

"Unless you missed the news, I'm getting married today. I have a lot on my mind."

"Should I call ahead for reservations? Did you book a flight? What do I need to do?"

He reached a hand over and laid it on her oh-so-tempting knee. "All arranged, Sam."

She grinned. "My, you have been a busy boy."

"I told ya…no thinkin' for you today."

"Scared I'll back out?" she teased.

"Nope."

"Right again," she grinned.

The flight was uneventful—peaceful even. They talked about old friends—Janet, Jonas—and what they would say if they knew about today. They debated how the rest of SG-1 would react when they heard the news. They talked about the post-marriage reception in Colorado Springs, which Jack said Sam should plan, since he had planned the wedding. Jack wondered how Maybourne was getting along with his wives…and Sam said she hoped the women had finally figured him out. Jack chuckled at that one. And they talked about Jacob, and how pleased he would be.

"You know," Sam said, "when I got stranded on the Prometheus, I had—visions. Dad, Daniel, Teal'c and you—you all came to me. I knew you weren't real, but you certainly seemed real. Dad kept telling me how I shouldn't be afraid to love, and how he thought I resisted it because of Mom's death. He said if he had it all to do over again, even knowing how it would end, he would still marry her, because that was love. He told me I deserved to love and be loved in return, and that I should rid myself of whatever was standing in the way."

"Well, all right, Jacob!" Jack chimed in.

"No, you don't understand. I thought he meant I should give up on any hope of being with you, and find someone who was free to love me. I was so convinced that I—found Pete."

"Sam, we don't have to—"

"Jack, I need you to know this. I convinced myself that whatever feelings I had for you could never lead to a real relationship because of our work, so I forced myself to find someone who—well, who wasn't you. But the closer the wedding got, the more nervous I got. And after Pete bought that house, I just—I realized I couldn't go through with it. That's when I came to your house…"

"And Kerry was there."

"Right. And then Dad got sick and everything spun out of control. He and I had a couple of conversations about life and happiness, and the strange thing was, they were very much like the ones I imagined on Prometheus. But this time, I took his words differently. He didn't actually say it, but I knew he didn't like Pete, and I felt he could see right through me. He knew I was making a mistake before I did. The words were so similar, but hearing them again, he seemed to be telling me to go with my heart…and that meant you. That, and Cassie's problems, were what made me leave the SGC. Oh my gosh, Jack, Cassie! We haven't told her!"

Today is for us, Sam. We'll call her tomorrow." She nodded. "Sam, there's something I guess I need to tell you too. I went to see Jacob in the infirmary. We talked, and I've never told you about that."

"You did?"

"Yeah, and he was a lot more direct with me. He told me he knew we loved each other. He said he had known for a long time, and that he thought you could do a lot better."

"No! Oh, Jack, I'm sorry!"

He chuckled. "Don't be. I agreed with him." Before she could continue, he said, "Ah—ah—ah! Let me finish. Heck, Sam, I still agree with him! But he said the longer he was around us, the more he realized that it was the real thing. Said it must be, because if it wasn't, we would either have acted on it or gotten over it."

Sam stared at him, incredulous. "Why didn't he tell me that?"

"I don't know. But he told me that you wouldn't marry Pete, and that I needed to be ready, because you were going to need me after he died. And then we went on that fishing trip with Danny and T, but it was too soon after his death to be making moves on you. And then, you went off on the Daedelus, and Danny ran into the Ori…"

"…and I went back to the team," she finished.

"And well, I knew how much they needed your knowledge and experience…so I decided to wait a little longer. But when I saw you yesterday, all I could think about was how stupid that was, and how I'm not going to live forever, and I just decided to find out if you still felt the same as I did."

She reached a hand across between the seats and placed it on his knee. "I'm glad you did," she said softly.

"Whoa, lady, hands off the merchandise! I'm about to be married, you know."

She just laughed and turned to gaze out the window.

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Jack had booked a suite with two bedrooms. Sam gave him a questioning look as they arrived. "What?" he said. "I thought you'd like to get ready for our wedding without stumbling over me." She just grinned and shook her head.

Jack checked his watch. "You have about two hours until our date with the preacher," he said.

Sam picked up her bag and carried it into the larger of the two bedrooms. "Meet you back here in two hours."

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Sam looked at herself in the mirror, and she was fairly pleased with her efforts. Her blond hair was shining, and it looked like her makeup was on right. She turned from the vanity to examine herself in the full-length mirror. The dress was simple…ivory, strapless, with a defined waist and an A-line skirt, ending just above the knees. It was made of moiré satin with a crocheted lace overlay. She stepped into her ivory pumps. Her mother's pearl earrings danced when she moved her head. Not bad for the last-minute, she thought.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Sam, are you almost ready?"

She opened the door. "Perfect timing!" She stepped out to see Jack, looking a little nervous, in a pressed white shirt, a tie and dress pants. "Nice!" she said

"Look who's talking," he said, not taking his eyes off her. "You're gorgeous."

She walked to him and was about to give him a kiss when she noticed that they weren't alone. A man sat in the living room. He rose to his feet as Sam approached.

"Sam, this is Pierre Beauchard. He's a representative of the best jewelry store in Las Vegas. He's here to show us rings. Mr. Beauchard, my fiancée, Samantha Carter."

"Mademoiselle," he bowed slightly. He motioned for them to sit down on a loveseat next to the coffee table. He opened a black jewelry case to reveal dozens of rings…large diamonds and other precious gems…plain gold and silver bands…bands inlaid with stones.

"Jack," Sam said, "I don't need all this fuss. A simple gold band will do."

"We're only going to do this once, right?" he asked. She nodded. "You should have something as perfect as you are. Pick something for both of us…'cause we're going to wear them for the rest of our lives."

She nodded, the seriousness of the commitment becoming more real by the moment. "This is nice, mademoiselle," Mr. Beauchard said, picking a large diamond solitaire up from the case. Sam looked at it. It was beautiful. But it reminded her of the ring Pete had given her, and that just didn't seem right.

"I—I don't think so," she said gently. Sam's eyes focused on a shiny gold band with a small beaded design around the edges. "Maybe this?" She slipped it on while Jack tried the man's band.

"Fits," he says. "This is good for me, Sam."

"I'll take the matching one, then," Sam said, relieved.

"Sam," Jack said gently, "I want you to have something with a stone."

"Jack, those big diamonds remind me of the mistake I almost made."

"Ah," he said, his tone indicating he understood. His eyes scanned the case, looking for a compromise. He picked up a gold band with channel set diamonds all around. He looked at Sam. "What about this?"

"It's beautiful," she said, "but it doesn't match yours."

"Doesn't matter," he said. "I'm not wearing diamonds, but you should."

"It's called an eternity band," the jeweler injected. "The diamonds go all the way around the ring, and they symbolize never-ending love. The stones are set into a channel to withstand rough wear. They won't fall out."

"Perfect," Jack chuckled. "Sam?"

"It's—I love it," she said, weakening.

"If you really don't want an engagement ring, then please let me do this."

She glanced up, hearing the seriousness in his tone. She looked over at Beauchard. "This one is perfect."

"Very nice choice, mademoiselle." He turned to Jack. "Mr. O'Neill, I will leave the invoice for you at the desk, as you requested. "You can take care of it any time during your stay."

"Thanks, Beauchard," Jack rose, as the jeweler closed his display box, stood up and walked toward the door. As he opened it, he shook the man's hand; then turned to Sam. "Our next guest is here."

"Next guest?" Sam asked. What now?

"Ms. Brewster, hotel florist," Jack said, as the woman entered, pulling a cart.

"Your order, Mr. O'Neill," she smiled. "I guess this is the lucky lady." On the cart were four bouquets of roses: pink, red, yellow and coral. "Your pick, ma'am. Or we can make something up to your specifications."

Sam just shook her head as she reached for the pink bouquet. "These remind me of ones my mother grew," she said.

"That was easy," Ms. Brewster said, as she waved and left.

Turning from the door, Jack looked toward the window. "Ah—sunset. I believe we have a date with a justice of the peace." He put on his suit jacket. "You still up for this?"

Sam just nodded as Jack held the door open, and together, they headed for the elevator.

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It was a beautiful evening. The air was dry and the temperature was around 80. The sun was beginning to go down, and in the distance, the hills were bright coral. The sky was constantly changing...reds to corals, with deep violet beginning to appear to the east. On the restaurant's high rise balcony, a plump, pleasant looking man was waiting for them. Jack turned to Sam just before the door, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Moment of truth," he said solemnly. "Sam, I still think you could do much better, so if you want to back out, I'll understand."

Tears welled up in her eyes. She reached out to touch his cheek. "Jack O'Neill, never say that to me again. You're all I've ever wanted, and all I'll ever want, so get that through your stubborn head right now."

"Yes, ma'am," he said just as seriously, as he took a deep breath. "I'll never ask that again."

"Then open the door, and let's get married," she said. And they did.

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"I, Samantha, take thee, Jack, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live."

"Mr. O'Neill, your turn," the minister said.

"I, Jack, take thee, Samantha, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live."

"And, do you promise to be faithful to each other, forsaking all others?" the minister asked.

"I do," Sam said, gazing into Jack's eyes.

"Absolutely," Jack replied, his voice holding a passion that Sam could clearly hear.

"Then by the power vested in me by the State of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Jack kissed Sam gently. Then, remembering a long-ago kiss during a time loop, he deepened the embrace, dipping her as she responded with enthusiasm.

"Best of luck folks," the justice said. "Although from the looks you two give each other, I'd say this one is going to be one of the good ones."

"Thanks," they both smiled, as he left. They were staring at each other, neither noticing the sky as the pinks and corals gave way to red violet, violet and periwinkle. Darkness was coming, and the stars would appear soon.

"We did it," he said.

"We did," she smiled.

"Dinner is waiting inside," he placed his hand on her back as he opened the door.

They dined on steak and champagne and intermittent touches as the sky turned midnight blue—then black—and the stars came out. Neither ate much, the excitement of the day disrupting their appetites. When the waiter brought out a miniature wedding cake, Sam asked, "Could we take that with us?"

"Absolutely, ma'am," the waiter smiled.

"And a bottle of this champagne," Jack said.

The "to go" package delivered back to the table, they rose to return to their suite. As the elevator doors closed, Jack sat the bag down and turned to kiss his wife. They were still caressing each other when the car came to a stop on their floor. Hurrying to their room, they closed the door…and were alone. Without a word, he took her in his arms and gave her a long, hungry kiss. Coming up for air, she held his face in her hands. "This has been the most perfect day," she smiled.

"You deserve it."

"WE deserve it."

"There's cake," he said, "and champagne."

"Put them in the fridge," she coaxed. "We have other things to do."

"Oh, ya wanna go see the Star Trek Experience?" he teased. "It's not far away..."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Sure...but the exhibit is this way." She pointed toward the bedroom. "I'll be waiting for you in there."

"I'm right behind you, Mrs. O'Neill," Jack said, as he closed the refrigerator door. He had tossed the jacket and tie aside and was unbuttoning his shirt as he followed her.

And what they did after that…was just between them.